Swiss baccalaureate system and apprenticeships

If you want to study for a baccalaureate, you need to meet different requirements depending on the canton and the type of baccalaureate you wish to obtain, including good grades, a recommendation from your class teacher or a successful entrance examination.

Vocational baccalaureate

Most apprenticeships allow you to complete the vocational baccalaureate as a supplement. This would either require you to take additional classes during your apprenticeship, or you can complete the vocational baccalaureate afterwards.

A vocational baccalaureate opens the door to study at a university of applied sciences. Anyone with a vocational baccalaureate who passes the University Aptitude Test (web page available in German, French and Italian) can also study at a Swiss university, a federal institute of technology (ETH Zurich or EPFL) or a university of teacher education

Academic baccalaureate

You usually start baccalaureate school after the second or third year of upper-secondary level school. The study programme lasts four years in most cantons and aims to provide a good general education. Students do not learn a profession, however the completion of an academic baccalaureate (website available in German, French, Italian and Romansh) gives them access to study at a university or a federal institute of technology (ETH Zurich or EPFL). Universities of applied sciences often have additional entry requirements, such as having completed an internship.

Specialised baccalaureate

Specialised schools focus on increasing students' general knowledge. They also provide students insight into one or two occupational fields of choice. The first part of the programme lasts three years. Upon completion of the programme, students receive a specialised school certificate. Students then have the option to work towards a specialised baccalaureate. This programme lasts one year.

Students holding a specialised school certificate or a specialised baccalaureate (website for both links available in German, French, Italian and Romansh) can continue on to tertiary level education in their occupational field. Students who have completed a specialised school certificate can continue their studies at a college of higher education, and those having completed a specialised baccalaureate, at a university of applied sciences.

Those interested in continuing their education at a university, a federal institute of technology (ETH Zurich or EPFL) or a university of teacher education, must also take and pass the University Aptitude Test (website available in German, French, Italian and Romansh). An exception is made for some students applying to the primary school teacher programme at a university of teacher education. Students who have completed their specialised baccalaureate in the occupational field of pedagogy are admitted directly.